by Casey Campo

Sara Paynter walked into Donelly Hall donning a gray scarf and a smile. She had prepared her first lesson the week of Feb. 13, and now it was time to present it to the STA freshman world geography class. Even though Paynter isn’t a certified teacher yet, she soon will be. She, like many others majoring in education, is a student teacher.

Sara Paynter is one of the many student teachers STA has had over the years. In the past four years, the school has hosted ten student teachers. This can change how teachers work in the classroom, according to Denise Rueschhoff, the world geography teacher.

“I get lots of new ideas from the new teachers who have come in with different…strategies and methods of teaching,” Rueschhoff said. “And it kind of inspires me as a teacher…to get out of a rut.”

At Rockhurst University, Paynter learned these new ideas while taking secondary school education classes. These classes include lesson planning, technology education, philosophy and more. Paynter’s new approach and activities gets students more involved and help students learn, according to freshman Claire Anello, a world geography student in Paynter’s class.

“I think Ms. Paynter incorporates more videos and tells us exactly what we’re going to do beforehand,” Anello said. “[Ms. Paynter is] creating more activities to get us to learn [the material.]”

Student teaching is required by Rockhurst University’s fourteen week plan called the “Professional Semester,” according to the Rockhurst University student teaching handbook. Student teachers are graded on instructional planning, delivery of instruction, assessment, classroom environment, and professionalism. A representative from Rockhurst University and Reuschhoff will come observe and grade Paynter during one of her lessons.

According to STA’s academic principal Barbara McCormick, in addition to Rockhurst University, Avila University and UMKC also have student teaching programs that work with St. Teresa’s.

When it comes to the classroom, teachers have full control over the experience their student teachers receive, according to McCormick. Technology and Media teacher Kathy McCarthy has had two student teachers. According to McCarthy, she likes her student teachers to get a hands-on experience in the classroom so she allows them to observe for a week, pick a project and then create a lesson plan.

Paynter has been getting that hands-on experience while preparing her first lesson: a unit on South America.

“I’m really interested in Social Justice,” Paynter said. “It’s something that I want to inspire other girls or teach other girls because I think it’s really important. I’ve always been passionate about social studies and all that kind of stuff so I thought a teacher would be a great way to get that across and it’s something I could do everyday.”